Best places to visit in Saudi Arabia

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is part of the Middle East countries, and is blessed with 2 coastlines of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Known as the birthplace of the Islamic religion, it is home to two of Islam’s holiest sites: Mecca, the site of the Kaaba and the Masjid al-Haram mosque, the destination of the annual Haj pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims around the world. The other holy site is Medina, featuring Prophet Mohammed’s mosque, the imposing Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, which is the burial site of the holy prophet. Despite its international visa restrictions, Saudi Arabia is the 19th most-visited country in the world, with over 18 million international visitors in 2014. Although religious pilgrimages are the major reason for international visitors, the land of Saudi Arabia is home to several world heritage sites, museums, and modern cities. Listed below are some must-visit destinations if you happen to be in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh The capital city of Saudi Arabia is endowed with modern and traditional architecture, and is the most populous city in Saudi Arabia. Modern architecture includes the magnificent Kingdom Tower featuring 99 storeys and a connecting sky bridge walkway, which offers a spectacular view of the city. Other skyscrapers include the 1010-feet tall Burj Rafal and the Riyadh TV Tower. Visitors, interested in history, must go to the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre for a look at Arabic history and traditions. The Royal Saudi Air Force Museum offers a glimpse into the history of the Royal Saudi Air force, since its inception in the 1920s. Dammam The fastest growing city in Saudi Arabia, Dammam is known for its museums, markets, zoos, and shopping. Popular tourist destinations in Dammam is the Sea front, the King Fahd park, Cobra amusement park, and Adventure World. It is also home to the Dammam Historical Museum and the Dammam Public Library....

The magic of Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco sits proudly on the tip of North Africa. It is cradled by the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, dotted with beautiful rugged mountainous interior. Morocco’s coastline on the Atlantic Ocean reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlas Mountains sits in the center and the south of the country, and the Rif Mountains in the north of the country. These mountainous ranges are mostly inhabited by the Berber people, who are the ethnic group and the originators of Morocco. As neighbors it has Spain on the north, Algeria on the east, and Western Sahara on the south. The capital of Morocco is Rabat, although the largest city is Casablanca; other major cities worth a visit are Marrakech, Tangier, Tetouan, Salé, Fes, Agadir, Meknes, Oujda, Kenitra, and Nador. Morocco is a rich cultural blend of Arab, Berber and also other African and European influences. Officially the language of communication is Literary Arabic. However people also communicate in Moroccan Arabic referred to as Dareja, Berber and French. Moroccan people have keen interest in painting and sculpture, music, theatre, and filmmaking. The Moroccan National Theatre (founded 1956) offers regular productions of Moroccan and French dramatic works. One can come across numerous art and music festivals throughout the country during the summer months, among these the most awaited festival is World Sacred Music Festival at Fès. Morocco grows Mediterranean fruits and vegetables in abundance and this clearly reflects in their dietary intake. Moroccan cuisine is known to be spicy and has strong Arab and Berber influences.  The famous dishes of this region include Couscous, Pastilla , Tajine, Tanjia and Harira. A Moroccan trip without tasting Couscous will be an incomplete journey. Morocco offers plenty of opportunities to sports and adventure seekers. The beautiful lakes that are dotted over the area have fishes aplenty and are an...